Prices of fish went down while those of vegetables went up in the wake of tropical cyclone "Basyang" (Conson), which lashed Metro Manila and parts of Luzon this week.
But the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources advised the public Friday to remain wary of "double dead" fish, or those that may have been part of a fish kill due to "Basyang."
"Kailangan mapula at sariwa (at) hindi malambot na malambot [ang katawan ng isda]. At kung bulok ang ito malambot at may amoy (The fish has to be reddish and fresh, and not smelling foul. If it is rotten, it will be very soft and will have an unpleasant odor)," BFAR Fish Health Section head Simeona Regidor said in an interview on dzBB radio.
In Pasay City, radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad reported Friday the prices of fish went down at the Libertad Public Market.
According to the report, prices of bangus went down from P90 per kilo to P80 per kilo. Vendors said fish pen owners sold their products at lower prices.
Prices of tilapia went down to P65 per kilo from P70 to P75 per kilo. Dalagang bukid prices remained at P100 per kilo.
Galunggong, however, went up to P80 per kilo from P60 per kilo.
Prices of pork, beef and chicken remained stable at P180, P200 and P125 respectively.
On the other hand, garlic prices went up to P120 per kilo from P90 per kilo. Prices of other vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, sayote and carrots went unchanged.
On Thursday, several dead fish surfaced in the Pasig River, including the portion in Guadalupe village in Makati City.
But residents were repulsed by the smell of the dead tilapia and Imelda fish and sought to clean the river of the rotting fish. — LBG
